Page 40 of Aaron's Patience

“You’re the head librarian. Don’t you make the decisions as to who fills the job openings?”

“I-I do but this time the decision was over my head.”

“Over your head,” I repeated again, rolling the words around in my mouth.

“Yes. Look, Mrs. Townsend, I’m sure this will be just a minor setback for you. With your education and experience, any library branch would be happy to have you. If you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting to attend.”

I stepped back from the counter and watched as Moira scurried around the counter and darted toward the back of the library. My eyes narrowed at the obvious anxiety she displayed while talking to me. Not very many people could put that type of fear and worry in others. I knew of one man who had the ability to do that.In fact, I’m married to him.

With that last thought, I turned and charged through the front doors of the library.

“Heading home so soon?” my driver, Daniel, questioned.

“No. We’re headed to Townsend Industries.” I firmly answered, pulling the back door to the SUV shut, slamming it as I got in.

Chapter Twelve

Aaron

“Mr. Townsend, Daniel has informed me that he is headed to Townsend Industries on instructions from your wife.”

“Have her set up in the lounge room to wait until I am finished with this meeting.”

“Yes, sir,” Mark answered.

I grunted, signaling to Mark that I was ending our call, before pressing the end button.

“Little early for lunch isn’t it?”

I picked my head up from my phone’s intercom to see Joshua peering at the Rolex on his wrist. It was close to nine-thirty. Any moron could’ve deciphered that Patience wasn’t arriving for lunch.

I merely stared at my brother for a heartbeat and then turned my attention on the other three men in the room, sitting at the conference table.

“So it seems that the golf course is trying to play hardball,” I stated, pushing my hands into my pants pockets.

The three men looked between one another.

“Seems that way.” Joshua came up on my right side, standing over the table as well. He was the head of the real estate division of Townsend Industries. He’d been in negotiations to purchase a recently shut down golf course to turn it into a luxury home complex. The location was about three hours from Williamsport.

“What is the hold up, gentlemen?” I inquired.

“Mr. Townsend, I’m sure your brother has shared with you–”

“Joshua.”

He blanched. “Excuse me?”

“In this office, his name is notmy brother.It’s Joshua. Or Mr. Townsend.”

“Joshua,”he emphasized, “is asking a much lower selling price than what was originally offered.”

“So, you decided to set up a meeting with me in hopes that I’d convince Joshua to raise the price.”

Another round of looks between the three men. “Not quite–”

“Yes, quite,” Joshua began. “You all hoped that somehow bringing a meeting to the CEO of Townsend would convince me to raise the asking price for your failed golf course.”

I lowered my head, not wanting to reveal the pride I felt hearing Joshua ream out these supposed businessmen.